Be the Influence Australian Boardriders Battle next weekend in Western Australia

The Be The Influence Australian Boardriders Battle – Australia’s largest and richest club event – debuts at Trigg Beach this Sunday for the WA qualifying round featuring some of the state’s best surfing talent.

Making his way to Perth to compete before the upcoming Vans Triple Crown of Surfing in Hawaii is Yallingup’s Taj Burrow (current ASP world # 5).

Taj Burrow will compete represeting Yallingup.

“I couldn’t be more proud to represent Yallingup. It will be fun to compete in a team instead of as an individual for a change!” Said Burrow.

The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) sanctioned event allows Australia’s elite surfers such as Burrow to compete for their grassroots club they grew up surfing in.

This weekend will see the pick of the crop of WA boardriders clubs battle it out in an attempt to qualify for the National Final taking place in Sydney on the Australia Day long weekend, which will be the biggest boardriders club event in Australian history with 16 of the country’s best clubs competing for over $100k in prize money.

Teams must consist of seven competitors: two juniors (one male and one female), four opens (three males and one female) and one Over 35 (male or female), who will battle it out in a pairs division, five person teams division and skins division in a unique and exciting format.

Vying for one of two spots on offer into the National Final with Yallingup Boardriders, who along with Taj Burrow have the likes of current U14 National Champion Kael Walsh and current world ranked number 40 Mikaela Green, will be the Margaret River Boardriders who’s team reads strong with former world number two Dave Macaulay and daughter Bronte Macaulay (currently ranked 33rd in the world), along with current ISA World U16 Junior Champion Jacob Willcox as well as Creed McTaggart, Jerome Forrest, Matt Baldock and Bailee Hastie.

Team event favourites and local club Trigg Point Boardriders will have a target on their backs after recently taking out WA’s long standing interclub event the Surf Boardroom Surf League against Margaret River in October.

“We’ve all surfed enough heats on the metro beaches to know that it can be hard work, but look forward to the new challenge of the Australian Boardriders Battle this weekend.” Said Margaret River’s team captain Andrew Sheridan.

Small summer conditions are forecast this weekend with competition set to kick off at 8am Sunday morning at Trigg Beach.

In total, $105,000 is up for grabs across the entire National Series including the National Final. There is $30,000 available across the seven State qualifying events, while $75,000 will be split between the 16 clubs that make the National Final.

The Be the Influence Australian Boardriders Battle also includes a Monster Raffle giveaway with one lucky ticket holder to drive away in a new Toyota RAV4. Other prizes include a Billabong pack valued at more than $1500 and a Nikon 1 AW1 camera valued at up to $1000. The Monster Raffle is open to all Surfing Australia affiliated boardrider clubs with proceeds returning to the boardriders club community.

The Be the Influence Australian Boardriders Battle is proudly supported by Be the Influence – Tackling Binge Drinking, Billabong, Toyota, Nikon, Surfing Australia, the Association of Surfing Professionals, Coastalwatch and Surfing World

ABOUT BE THE INFLUENCE:
This event is supported by the Be the Influence – Tackling Binge Drinking initiative, part of the Australian Government’s National Binge Drinking Strategy addressing youth binge drinking and raising awareness of the long and short term impacts of harmful drinking among young people through sport sponsorships and other activities. www.tacklingbingedrinking.gov.au